8 Beers to Avoid This St.Patty's Day

by Allen GilMarch 17, 2015

Another St. Patty’s day is upon us, and there's a good chance you'll find yourself enjoying a nice, frothy brew that’s probably an artificially bright shade of green. Even if beer is not your thing, you go along with it since, after all, it’s a holiday, right?

But before you go pairing that green beer with a nice corned beef hash, there are some things you should know about some of your favorite American beers:

1. They may contain questionable ingredients

2. Beer companies DO NOT HAVE to disclose their ingredients

3. Not all beers are created equal, and we’re not just talking about flavor here

4. Some beers give you more munchies than others, thanks to their shady ingredients

5. Some leprechauns prefer Jameson instead of beer

Questionable Ingredients, You Say?

While all of those points are important, the first two are the absolute deal breakers that you should pay close attention to. And, if you’re watching your weight, then number four is pretty important too.

Let’s talk about questionable ingredients for a sec. In my book, GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), high fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavorings and colors are all questionable ingredients. When we say that these ingredients are questionable, sure you can figure out what they are, but your body has a hard time doing the same.

When these fake ingredients hit your bloodstream, your body tries to de-code what the hell they actually are. Sometimes it doesn’t have a clue what to do, and ends up storing it as fat. And, that’s only one part of the beer belly dilemma.

Munchies and Beer Bellies Go Hand-in-Hand for a Reason

Remember back in college when you would go out for a night on the town, have a few drinks, and cap off your escapades with a greasy burger and fries or a gigantic pizza? Sure, you called them beer munchies, but have you ever wondered why it is that you even get the munchies?

Besides the fact that alcohol is filled with empty calories, the questionable ingredients are not only making you more thirsty, but, you guessed it, more hungry too.

One ingredient found in some American beers is MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate. You may have seen the NO MSG label on your local Chinese takeout joint’s menu, but it’s actually hiding in your beer too, sans warning at that.

brownandcoconut.com

MSG is responsible for that can’t-seem-to-stop-eating feeling. You know, the one that makes it hard to eat just one potato chip. Yeah, there’s probably MSG in your favorite bag of chips too. Add this combo to a night of drinking, and you’re headed towards beer belly lane. By the time your night winds down, all you want to do is bury yourself in some late-night, greasy goodness.

Instead of getting to that point, here’s Vani’savoid-at-all-costs list:

Corona

Miller Lite

Michelob Ultra

Coors Light

Budweiser

Pabst Blue Ribbon

Guinness

Foster’s

These beers contain either: GMO corn, GMO rice, corn syrup, or high fructose corn syrup. These ingredients are all known to mess with your metabolism, spike your insulin levels, and wreak havoc on your not-yet-toned-body.

On top of that, some beers, like Newcastle for example, contain artificial coloring created from ammonia and sulfites. These two end up turning into carcinogenic compounds, according to Vani, which translates into cancer causing ingredients that can have lifelong repercussions.

Still think your American beer is pure Americana?

So What Can You Drink?

Food Babe recommends sticking with craft beers and those willing to provide an ingredient list right on the label.

Her top, non-craft choices include:

Sierra Nevada

Heineken

Amstel light

German beers

For a full list of beers, including craft beers, that made the "clean" list, click here.

Skip the Can, If You Can

It’s also a good idea to opt for a glass bottle or draft beer instead of a can. According to Food Babe, some cans are lined with BPA, or Bispehnol A, which leaches right into your supposedly tasty and chilled brew. If you’re careful enough to watch out for BPA in your Tupperware and reusable water bottles, then you should certainly be consistent and avoid drinking beer from a metal can at all costs.

As for today, steer clear of the green beer and keep it classy and safe on this magical holiday of rainbows, leprechauns, pots of gold and lots of booze.

For more of an in-depth explanation and the science behind why these beers are so bad for you, check out Food Babe’s original post here.